3 Minutes, 49 Seconds

See two posts down for my thoughts on the year in music. Sad to say, there's not one homerun in the bunch, but here are a few triples: Check out Highway 290 Revisited for Richard Nelson's picks. Bruce Springsteen: Magic I don't even know what to make of the Boss anymore. He goes all quiet and folky for awhile, he tours with a covers band, then he makes a record that sounds like the proper follow-up to Born In The U.S.A . All in a day's work, I suppose. Youth Group: Casino Twilight Dogs I saw Youth Group open for Death Cab For Cutie, and they definitely fit in that indie pop milieu. But they aren't as fussy or self-conscious. These songs stuck with me this year. Albert Hammond, Jr.: Yours To Keep Read the review . Just look at that cover. Awww. Kaiser Chiefs: Yours Truly, Angry Mob Read the review . Though not necessarily compelling as an entire record, this has enough amazing singles ( Ruby , Heat Dies Down , I Can Do It ...

Biggest Disappointment Prince It wasn't his 2007 album Planet Earth that disappointed. It was the purple one himself, and the self-sabotaging litigious campaign against his fan sites. Completely baffling and unnecessary. Then again, if Prince's decision-making skills were sound, Batdance , Grafit ti Bridge , The Rainbow Children album, and the Lovesexy cover photo would not exist. Best Cover Art Vicious Vicious: Parade Lots of great design choices this year, but this one gets the nod for no particular reason. I just like it. Best Cover Version Robbers On High Street, Monkberry Moon Delight A little known McCartney song that wasn't so great in the first place is resurrected and much improved by ROHS. If only their 2007 album, Grand Animals , had been as fun. Best Title The Pierces: Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge They swiped it from the fictional author in Diane Setterfield's 2006 The Thirteenth Tale , but the title is an excellent description of The Pierces c...